The present invention relates to a vascular occluding device for use in vascular surgical procedures that allows for simplicity of application and produces minimum trauma to the vessel that is occluded.
Vascular surgery is a burgeoning medical specialty usually required temporary vascular occlusion of arteries and veins of different sizes and locations in the body. Conventional methods of securing such occlusions when needed have involved the use of a variety of vascular occluding devices.
Several types of metal occlusion clamps are known and used in the field, such as those known as the bulldog, serrefine, rubber-shod, Satinsky and Fogarty clamps. Various forms of tourniquets are also employed. Dual-armed occluding clips are known, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,061,263, 3,247,852, 4,227,730 and U.S. Pat. No. De.190,787. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,219 discloses hinged plastic tubes for occluding a vessel. Tapes which can encircle a blood vessel and then be externally tightened have also been proposed, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,166.
Inflatable balloons have been suggested in a number of instances for use in occluding devices. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,833,003 and 4,404,971 it has been proposed to insert an inflatable balloon inside a blood vessel and then inflate the balloon to temporarily occlude blood flow.
Conversely, various proposals have been made to occlude blood vessels utilizing a balloon device applied externally to the blood vessel. For instance, as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,917, an occlusion clip includes a preferably round support member and an inflatable balloon within the support member for occluding a vessel. U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,656 suggests an occluding device employing a support member having therein a bottom channelled jaw and an upper inflatable chamber. A blood vessel is occluded by situating the blood vessel between the balloon and jaw and inflating the balloon, thereby pressing the blood vessel against the channelled jaw. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,730,186 and 3,831,583 suggest a device similar to that of U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,917 which may be permanently implanted in the body. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,531,519 and 4,542,743 disclose a flexible support member with an inflatable chamber for wrapping around a blood vessel, followed by inflation and occlusion. Finally, In Vivo Metric Systems (IVM) markets a number of blood vessel occluders, including an occluding clip having a hook shape, the base end of the hook having an inflatable diaphragm for occluding the vessel between the diaphragm and hook.
Despite the plethora of vascular occluders presently available, each of which has its place in vascular surgery, many are cumbersome and expensive to manufacture and all result in more or less damage to the vessel wall, especially the inner lining (the intima) of the vessel. This trauma often leads to failure or other serious consequence of vascular surgery.
Accordingly, the need still exists for a vascular occluding device which is effective, easy to apply to any vessel in any body location and which minimizes trauma to the blood vessel during application.